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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · kid · mark · staff · bay · wake · stand · race

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. wake — a trail
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. present — the time now
  5. mark — a grade
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. race — humankind
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. kid — child
  12. staff — a stick
  13. race — a contest
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mark — a trace
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. race — the arms race
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. kid — to tease
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com